I'm using SSMS Express to feel my way around SQL Server 2005 Express as a
beginning admin. I'm using Microsoft Press's "SQL Server 2005
Administrator's Pocket Consultant" as a reference, and it doesn't match up
with my SSMS Express interface. For example, right-clicking on a table object
in Object View should display a "Modify" choice according to the book, but in
this installation it does not.

If you anyone can tell me how to get the more powerful SSMS interface, I'd
appreciate it. The version I have is:
Microsoft SQL Server Management Studio Express 9.00.3042.00


Thanks

I don't know much about the express version of SSMS but in any case you
probably want to be on the latest service pack at the very least. But I
would suggest looking into getting the developer edition of SQL Server. It
is very inexpensive and is the equivalent to the enterprise Edition of SQL
Server so it will have all the features available.

--

Andrew J. Kelly SQL MVP
Solid Quality Mentors

"BruceD" <BruceD (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote

Good idea, but the Developer Edition of SQL Server 2005 seems to be no longer
available.

"Andrew J. Kelly" wrote:

BruceD (BruceD (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com) writes:
Well, that would be a good thing. That particular function is completely
broken. And particulary if you aim to be an admin. It could be possibly
be considered to be OK for a developer who is just playing around, but to
use that function in a production environment would be no less than
criminal.

Unfortunately, though, the functionality is available to you. The book
was apparently written for the RTM version of SQL 2005, where indeed it
said "Modify" in the context menu. But you have SP2, and in SP2 it says
"Design" instead.

But again, beweare that the function is broken and buggy. What is really
devious is that you may not notice if you just fiddle around and press
Save. If you don't understand what it takes to change a table schema
with regards to preserving data integrity, you may not even realise how
dangerous it is.

--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, esquel (AT) sommarskog (DOT) se

Links for SQL Server Books Online:
SQL 2008: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/cc514207.aspx
SQL 2005: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/bb895970.aspx
SQL 2000: http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinf...ons/books.mspx

A quick search and I found multiple copies available from Amazon, Google,
etc...

Since you are learning how to administer the system, SQL Server 2008
Developer Edition would work just as well. But, it also would not match up
appropriately with the book you are following as this version has changed
some features and includes additional features not covered in the book.

"BruceD" <BruceD (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com> wrote

Thank you for the feedback. Are you saying that SSMS should not be used to
modify schemas? Should schema changes be made in code?

I'm a developer who will be babysitting a small but very important server
while its DBA is on vacation. I believe I will be expected to make
structural changes. The last thing I want to do is break something!

As an FYI, the version of SSMS I have displays "Properties" when a selected
table object is right-clicked.

"Erland Sommarskog" wrote:

Thanks, Jeffrey. I was hoping to get it for free, but maybe I'll have to buy
it.


"Jeffrey Williams" wrote:

BruceD (BruceD (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com) writes:
Yes. And definitely in a production system. There are several reasons
for this. One is tracability. Store the scripts somewhere, so that you
can keep track of what you made. Preferrably CREATE TABLE scripts
should be under version control.

Schema changes also may also require careful planning, particularly
if there is a 24/7 requirement.

I don't know how long vacation your DBA takes, but if it's a regular
vacation, there is all reason to defer changes until he comes back.
Schema changes is nothing you should do at whim, but which should be
deployed at defined maintenance windows.


Yes, that is on the bottom of the context menu.

--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, esquel (AT) sommarskog (DOT) se

Links for SQL Server Books Online:
SQL 2008: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/cc514207.aspx
SQL 2005: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/bb895970.aspx
SQL 2000: http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinf...ons/books.mspx

Thank you again for the feedback. It may or may not be possible to defer
changes, but I'll keep what you have said in mind.

Is there a book, not necessarily from MS Press, that you would recommend?

"Erland Sommarskog" wrote:

BruceD (BruceD (AT) discussions (DOT) microsoft.com) writes:
A book for the stand-in DBA? Maybe this book, but it's for SQL 2008.
http://www.manning.com/colledge/
I have not read it, nor anything else from the author, so I cannot vouch
for it.

But if you really need to make database changes while the real DBA is
away, first implement them in a test environment which is decently similar
to producion in size. (And of course identical in schema.) Then you know
how long time they take. Adding a nullable column is very quick: since
it's a metadata operation. But other changes may require SQL Server to
rebuild the entire table structure, which can make the table unavailable
for a longer time.

And this also shows how important that it is to have it all in scripts.
If you have it all in scripts, you know that what you ran in test, will
also run in production.

--
Erland Sommarskog, SQL Server MVP, esquel (AT) sommarskog (DOT) se

Links for SQL Server Books Online:
SQL 2008: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/cc514207.aspx
SQL 2005: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/sqlserver/bb895970.aspx
SQL 2000: http://www.microsoft.com/sql/prodinf...ons/books.mspx